Many critics have argued that there is a concerted effort to push the United States into a war with Iran by supporters of Israel. Patrick Clawson, director of research for the highly influential pro-Israel Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) think tank, seemed intent to prove those rumors true this week in comments as a luncheon on “How to Build US-Israeli Coordination on Preventing an Iranian Nuclear Breakout.” Clawson casually discusses how to create a false flag operation to push the U.S. into war to overcome any reluctance by the public. We have been discussing how many leaders like Senator Joe Lieberman had begun to use the same rhetoric that led to the last two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how the suggest timing of an attack has been tied to the presidential election.
In his remarks, Clawson helpfully lists a series of historical events used to push the country into war like the Gulf of Tonkin incident that gave us the Vietnam War. Clawson expressed his frustration in acknowledging that it is “[v]ery hard for me to see how the United States President can get us to war with Iran.” However, there is hope. Clawson explains that the “traditional way” to get the country into a war is through false flags or manufactured incidents where Americans are killed. Thus, he observes, “we are in the game of using covert means against the Iranians, we could get nastier about it. So, if in fact the Iranians aren’t going to compromise, it would be best if somebody else started the war.”
The fact that one of the leading analysis for the WINEP would feel comfortable in making such comments is itself quite chilling. It indicates that such discussions have become sufficiently regular that it has creeped into public discussion. It is a measure of the secret pressure building to push this country into a third major war despite our crippling economic conditions and losses in military personnel. The assumption in Washington is that neither Romney nor Obama could oppose such a war. Even if Obama does not publicly support Israel, the assumption is that political allies of Israel in Washington can guarantee that we would offer extensive military loans and intelligence. Even if there is a delay in such military loans and support, the assumption is that Israel can go to war with the understanding that the United States will cover a significant portion of the costs. Moreover, in his remarkably candid remarks, Clawson shows how the U.S. can easily be forced into direct combat by pushing Iran to simply kill some Americans or sink a few of our ships. Then members would be clamoring for revenge. Notably, the Israelis have been ratcheting up the war rhetoric in pushing Iran, which predictably has now reserved the right to engage in a preemptive strike not just against Israeli but U.S. interests. We would then, again, find ourselves in a war without any public debate or collective decision.
While Clawson adds a passing caveat that he is not advocating such an approach, his remarks are clearly designed to show how the group can get the United States into a war for Israel if only we can get Iran to kill some of our citizens or soldiers. Those people are of course expendable props in Clawson’s realpolitik.
By the way, Clawson has been enlisted to give his insightful analysis at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. He is also a member of the National Defense University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies. The World Bank connection is particularly interesting given the history with Paul Wolfowitz who pushed the U.S. into two disastrous wars in the Bush Administration and was rewarded with being made the head of the World Bank.
It is the callous disconnect that is most chilling in these remarks. Thousands of U.S. soldiers have died or have been crippled for life in these wars that have left the country near bankruptcy (and increasingly hostile “allies” in Afghanistan and Iraq). Those casualties and costs, however, appear immaterial in the discussion of supporting Israel in a war against Iran.
Some facts:
Iran has almost total control of Iraqa oil, not quite all but almost. First the Shiites got the oil minestry; then they got the majority position in the federal government. Before we nominally left, the Shiites had been making tours every week to Teheran.
Will thay reach the Med by Hezbollah in south Lebanon or by Syria?
What does our spy organizaations say, again and again, inclueding the Pentagon? At least 5 years to nukes.
So whar is there to compromise on?
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“So, if in fact the Iranians aren’t going to compromise, it would be best if somebody else started the war.”
Great idea.
My alternative. Restore due process in USA instead of trying to force them to take it away.
Forcing nation-building on tribal oriented nations is idiotic. Nasser did not in spite of his hard hands. And we won’t in Afghanistan.
As said before, but must repeat: War is a good business.
And obviously a never-ending one.
Has anyone asked why the speech is made now. Because it is a trial balloon to see the media, public, and “partner” reactions. You are just a pawn, someone well-known here said. We are not even that, cuz we are not in the game. We are production units.
Expect war provocation in less than a month. Let us hope they don’t try to take out Obama.
Woody, quit with the postings, I am cynical enough as it is. Just kidding. However, in the realm you speak of I am of the belief that ignorance is often bliss. Assuming all your sources and info are correct, I bet that is not even scratching the surface.
I wonder sometimes whether we, the citizens of the USA, should know what all our country’s leaders are up to and the true motives behind our foreign policy. I have this internal debate every now and again – how transparent should our government be. Often, my conclusion is that whatever is going on behind the veil must be in the best interest of teh future of our country and that is all I want to know. I tell myself this so I don’t have to think about the alternatives. I am afraid to know what is behind the curtain.
To me the disgusting part is that people now aren’t ashamed of ANYTHING. Remember W making a joke about the fact that no WMDs were found? Go nuts and whip everybody into a frenzy, say anything, commit tens of thousands of lives and bejillions of dollars to a massive fraud/crime, terrify folks for profit, stir up hatred and hostility and then pretend you weren’t part of the cause, much less THE BIGGEST PART OF THE CAUSE, when it turns out badly. So now these guys get up and say pretty much what they want, conscience free.
I am at least proud that I hated Lieberman long before everybody else did.
Mespo…..that is quite apt…..
I like people blaming the irans’ for which we have trained them……
I know a retired Seal officer in San Diego. I’ve known him since he was a teen boxing in Golden Glove fights in KC. He went ot college, became a Seal, and retired as an officer after the first Gulf war. Having been in war he has a better understanding of the horror and also of the mission. This sharp, tough yet easy-going guy has said that going into Iran would be a TOTALLY different ballgame than going into Iraq or even Afghanistan. Much different opponent, terrain, and logistics. Many more US casualties.
I will be in favor of attacking Iran as soon as Joe Lieberman and this so-called expert join the Marines along with their sons and daughters and stand at the point of the line. Disgusting.
Great video and great song OS!
Ah Sh!t.
But wasn’t this the plan all along?
In asking that question I am not indicating my approval of the plan, just commenting that back in 2003 when Bush invaded Iraq it seemed pretty clear that Iran was the final target and things have steadily progressed along that line ever since. With Syria on the ropes, Iran is now fairly well isolated.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/30/egypt-iran-non-aligned-movement-summit
This well connected “Foreign Policy Expert” nakedly admits too much, but still maintains enough of the “Danger: Iranian Nuclear Weapons” meme to keep from fully giving the game away. The “game” is establishing America taking “control” over Middle East oil in nations that are not currently under our aegis. This has been the overt plan since the “Project for the New American Century” began its work in the 1990’s:
http://en.wikipedia.org
wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century
Actually of course the 1990’s was not the starting point for this movement, which took shape in the aftermath of World War II when the “Cold War” began. Since then the American “Foreign Policy Establishment” has been the group that have worked to implement the “dream” on behalf of the Plutocracy. PNAC’s proponents, including of course Wolfowitz, work in tandem with the Oil Industry and Saudi Arabia to establish this American hegemony. The most ironic part of this of course is that our soldiers and our country are merely being used as the “Hessians” in this plot since the real hegemony will be held by the Military/Industrial/Corporate Complex, of which the Saudi’s are principle partners. People like Bibi and Lieberman, are merely compliant tools in this conspiracy, bought and paid for, but in their personal egotism/stupidity are not aware enough to know they are merely puppets.
MidEast ChessBoard…www.amazon.com
This book is an overview of the major events that have
contributed to the history of three major countries in the
mideast: Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. From the coup d’etat
that brought about the downfall of Mossadeq and the rise
to power of the Shah of Iran; to the arming of the Shah and
his final downfall(with Iranian Air Force General Rabii telling his
Judges "General Huyser threw the Shah out of the country
like a dead mouse."); the hostage crisis in Iran and the use
of this event by both Republican and Democratic groups in
what became known as the October Surprise; the rise and
arming of Saddam Hussein and the part played by western
interests; the US support of the mujahadeen in Afghanistan
and the role played by Bin Laden and other Islamists culminating
in the breakup of the Soviet Union; the Islamist group on
the periphery of the Alkifah Refugee center in New York and
the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; the events leading up
to 911 and the evidence suggesting the Intelligence agencies
had advanced knowledge of this event; And the evidence that
US forces have had the opportunity to eliinate top al Qaeda
and Taliban forces in Afghanistan and Iraq but for whatever
reason have failed to do this…
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=woody+voinche&x=14&y=18
No Win War???
The New American for November 9, 2009, has an interesting article on General Barry McCaffrey’s statement that the US “faces 10 more years of war in Afghanistan” and that the US should “focus upon a long and expensive nation-building process for Afghanistan’s tribal culture.” There seems to be a mindset in the establishment for the US to maintain a long term presence in the MidEast.
For a long time, the US has operated in the region through hidden agendas. In his book, The New World Order, Mr. Pat Robertson, states that George Bush 1 suggested that the fate of Kuwait was not the main issue, “launching the New World Order was the main thing.” Mr. Robertson further writes, “By words and by silence, the United States flashed Saddam Hussein a green light” … to move into Kuwait and suggests this was used as a pretext for the 1st Gulf War…the implication is that Saddam was entraped with Green Light Diplomacy but there was a much larger agenda(hidden) for moving against Hussein………..
For the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the evidence suggests that the US and its allies are not doing all that can be done to win this war and there is some agenda for prolonging this conflict.
The Advocate quotes Hillary Clinton(Dec. 7, 2009, p. 5A), stating it is “hard to believe” that no one in Islamabad knows where the al-Qaida leaders are hiding and couldn’t get them “if they really wanted to.”
In the aftermath of 9.11, the bombing of the wrong escape route out of Afghanistan into Pakistan and the nighttime airlift by the US of the Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives that were allowed to escape(The New Yorker, Jan 28, 2002, p. 36); Gary Berntsen, the head of the CIAs team at Tora Bora said they tracked bin Laden and (he) “…could have been caught.”(Newsweek, Aug 15, 2005, p. 5); There is evidence that the Pakistani ISI is funding the Taliban and knows where they live but dont arrest them.(Time, Nov. 29, 2004, p. 44)
There is a strategy by the Pakistani government “…which pays tribes and insurgent networks to attack each other with a goal of preventing any one group from getting too strong”.(US News, Oct 13/Oct 20, 2008, p. 24)(a strategy used by the Brits) Pakistani Ambassador, Haqqani presents evidence in his book that the Pakistani military and ISI make “…the pretense of arresting militants in order to get funds from Washinton. But it never shut down the networks.”(Newsweek, May 11/May 18, 2009, p. 29)
The CIA never takes a junior partner role with any of these groups and we have to assume wants this to continue. The New York Times(Oct. 27, 2009) reports that Karzai’s brother is on the CIAs payroll and is a suspected player in the opium trade which finances the Taliban.
All of this only contributes to a more chaotic situation which feeds a hidden agenda for a “no win war” and prolonged conflict at the expense of American boys and girls lives!!
woody voinche
Interesting article on manufacturing failes states…for perpetual war for perpetual peace…and no win war…????
http://www.voltairenet.org/Manufacturing-Failed-States
The US has already started the war with cyberattacks on Iranian nuclear facilities which according to the US position laid out by Harold Koh, is an act of war. But of course it only counts as war if another country attacks the US in such a manner.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/world/middleeast/obama-ordered-wave-of-cyberattacks-against-iran.html?_r=0
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-official-says-cyberattacks-can-trigger-self-defense-rule/2012/09/18/c2246c1a-0202-11e2-b260-32f4a8db9b7e_story.html
The double-standard is standard behavior in the empire.
It worked on 9/11/2001.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2012/09/24/lieberman-blame-iran-for-cyber-attacks-on-bank-america-chase/ “Lieberman: Blame Iran for Cyber Attacks on Bank of America, Chase” (compliments of Fox, but nonetheless…)
What Mespo said. I have a print of the Charge of the Light Brigade hanging in the back bedroom. Has anyone ever really listened to the words of “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.? It is a tribute to the ANZAC troops who went off to war at a hellhole called Gallipoli during WW-I.
Eric Bogle wrote this in 1971, as the Vietnam war ground on. Eric also wrote “The Green Fields of France.”
Somebody, please hand this tool a rifle. He clearly is ready to march someone else’s kids off to war. Let this chicken hawk lead the charge!
He probably doesn’t even know how to hold a rifle. Here’s a hint, Patrick: put that tube-shaped thingy in your mouth and use your big toe to press on that curved metal thingy.
The case that we are governed by psychopaths grows stronger by the day, because what has been going on for decades is now common discourse:
(Myth Addiction Is Establishment’s LSD, quoting from 1944 book). False flag ops are a pillar of our foreign relations … ever since The Bully Religion became our central dogma.
It’s always some pinhead geek thinking up ways for young kids to die in service to their “more important” goals but never truly advocating them. That’s the cloying “Just Sayin'” crowd.
Seems a common epitaph for empires. See, Tennyson, The Charge of the Light Brigade.
UGH! You know its true, you know its actually very easy (see: Bush, G.W. WMD). Worse is if they do this (it appears they have already started) we know the press knows it is being lied to but will not tell the public what it knows and will not even make an honest effort to present the actual facts of the case but instead carry water for the people will are intent on getting us all killed (see: Miller, Judith, NY Times).
Its like watching a slow motion train wreck while strapped to the lead engine.